Elements for Kids

Noble Gases

The noble gases are a group of elements in the periodic table. They are located to the far right of the periodic table and make up the eighteenth column. Elements in the noble gas family have atoms with a full outer shell of electrons. They are also called the inert gases.

What elements are noble gases?

The elements that make up the family of noble gases include helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon.

What are the similar properties of noble gases?

Noble gases share many similar properties including:

A full outer shell of electrons. Helium has two electrons in its outer shell and the rest have eight electrons.

Because of their full outer shells, they are very inert and stable. This means they don't tend to react with other elements to form compounds.

They are gases under standard conditions.

They are colorless and odorless.

Their melting and boiling points are close together giving them a very narrow liquid range.

Abundance

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen. Helium makes up about 24% of the mass of the elements in the universe. Neon is the fifth most abundant and argon is the eleventh.

On Earth, the noble gases are fairly rare with the exception of argon. Argon makes up just under 1% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the third most abundant gas in the atmosphere after nitrogen and oxygen.

Interesting Facts about Noble Gases

Because helium is non-flammable it is much safer to use in balloons than hydrogen.

Krypton gets its name from the Greek word "kryptos" meaning "the hidden one."

Many of the noble gases were either discovered or isolated by Scottish chemist Sir William Ramsay.

Helium has the lowest melting and boiling points of any substance.

All of the noble gases except for radon have stable isotopes.

Neon signs do not use just neon gas, but a mixture of different noble gases and other elements to create bright lights of different colors.

Noble gases are often used to create a safe or inert atmosphere due to their stable nature.

Xenon gets its name from the Greek word "xenos" which means "stranger or foreigner."